


Unpredictable

by inoru_no_hoshi



Category: Firefly, Serenity (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-03
Updated: 2012-04-03
Packaged: 2017-11-02 23:42:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/374672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inoru_no_hoshi/pseuds/inoru_no_hoshi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>River's attempts to understand Jayne are stymied once again. Stupid unpredictability.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unpredictable

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first foray into Firefly/Serenity writing, which places it... sometime in 2009, I think? I don't remember.
> 
> It reads slightly off in characterization to me now, but firsts are firsts for a reason. :)

She tracked her target: his habits, though simple - especially under non-hostile circumstances - followed no set pattern. He was, she had discovered, surprisingly hard to predict with any margin of accuracy.

Curiosity roused, she had begun conducting tests.

Early attempts had been supremely uninformative. The results of further exercises: inconclusive. Finally, she had decided that clear data would come only with bigger, more...obvious tests. Which led to her hiding in the shadows of the walkway, waiting.

Suddenly, she leapt from the walkway to the rail, the noise of her landing just enough to draw the target's attention. He looked up, staring as she casually stepped into empty air. Her drop cut off abruptly.

"What the ruttin' hell're you doin', crazy?" Her target looked thoroughly puzzled, and perhaps a bit angry.

"Gathering data," she answered with an absent frown. Her prior interactions with her target had given her little reason to place "catch the falling crazy girl" high on his list of reactions. Nevertheless, that was what he had done. "Data is not cooperative."

"Ain't no reason to go throwin' yerself off the walk!" he protested, roughly putting her on her feet. "Ain't always gonna be someone to catch ya!"

"Did not plan to be caught. Prior data did not support it."

"Whatever the hell that means. I dunno what your _gorram_ moonbrain self is thinkin', but flingin' yerself off things right in fronta someone an' not expectin' to be caught is just ruttin' stupid. 'Less it's someone don't give a damn about yer _pi gu_ , then it's just stupid to jump in th' first place." Lecture delivered, her target walked away shaking his head and muttering, "Ruttin' _feng le_ girl ain't worth the _gorram_ trouble."

She stood where he'd set her, head cocked to one side. If she had followed his words correctly, the implication was that he actually cared for her: another thing prior data had not supported. Unnatural stillness vanished as River stomped a foot and pouted.

"Stupid data," she proclaimed, then added, "Stupid Jayne. Unpredictability is not fair."


End file.
